Tower controller complaint that smf does not have any asde equipment and controllers must rely on ai...

Attributes
ACN	352081
Time
Date	199610
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local controller : ground
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	controller military : 3 controller non radar : 3 flight time total : 150
ASRS Report	352081
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Smf ATCT does not have asde-III. During low visibility conditions, controllers must base separation and control instructions on pilot position reports. When position reports are not received all traffic movement must stop until the aircraft can be located. Additionally ramp exit taxiway A9 is aligned with runway 16R high speed taxiway A9. During conditions when this intersection is not visible from the control tower, taxiway A9 may not be used as a ramp exit. This combined with taxiway closures for overnight parking and airport imposed taxi-lane restrs, make ground movement operations during low visibility conditions tenuous at best. The taxiway A-A9 intersection and access to runway 16R has the potential of an air carrier 1983 accident. Additionally the airport is pursuing smge's approval for operations down to and including 300 ft RVR. However until funding can be generated no improvements such as taxiway centerline lights, stop bars or runway guard lights will be installed. Considering all the above: no asde, taxiway confign, taxiway and taxi-lane restrs, and overnight parking of aircraft on txwys, an alert notice should be issued for smf airport concerning low visibility operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR COMPLAINT THAT SMF DOES NOT HAVE ANY ASDE EQUIP AND CTLRS MUST RELY ON ACFT POS RPTS WHEN VISIBILITY IS LOW.

Narrative: SMF ATCT DOES NOT HAVE ASDE-III. DURING LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS, CTLRS MUST BASE SEPARATION AND CTL INSTRUCTIONS ON PLT POS RPTS. WHEN POS RPTS ARE NOT RECEIVED ALL TFC MOVEMENT MUST STOP UNTIL THE ACFT CAN BE LOCATED. ADDITIONALLY RAMP EXIT TXWY A9 IS ALIGNED WITH RWY 16R HIGH SPD TXWY A9. DURING CONDITIONS WHEN THIS INTXN IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE CTL TWR, TXWY A9 MAY NOT BE USED AS A RAMP EXIT. THIS COMBINED WITH TXWY CLOSURES FOR OVERNIGHT PARKING AND ARPT IMPOSED TAXI-LANE RESTRS, MAKE GND MOVEMENT OPS DURING LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS TENUOUS AT BEST. THE TXWY A-A9 INTXN AND ACCESS TO RWY 16R HAS THE POTENTIAL OF AN ACR 1983 ACCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY THE ARPT IS PURSUING SMGE'S APPROVAL FOR OPS DOWN TO AND INCLUDING 300 FT RVR. HOWEVER UNTIL FUNDING CAN BE GENERATED NO IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS TXWY CTRLINE LIGHTS, STOP BARS OR RWY GUARD LIGHTS WILL BE INSTALLED. CONSIDERING ALL THE ABOVE: NO ASDE, TXWY CONFIGN, TXWY AND TAXI-LANE RESTRS, AND OVERNIGHT PARKING OF ACFT ON TXWYS, AN ALERT NOTICE SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR SMF ARPT CONCERNING LOW VISIBILITY OPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Tower controller complaint that smf does not have any asde equipment and controllers must rely on aircraft position reports when visibility is low.